


Across the Distance

by Firekitten



Category: RWBY
Genre: 100 Days of Taiqrow, M/M, Post-Volume 6 (RWBY)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-12 15:01:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19134448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firekitten/pseuds/Firekitten
Summary: Upon entering Atlas, Qrow immediately jumps on the chance to use all the kingdom’s fancy technology to call Taiyang. After all, there was something really important he needed to tell him.





	Across the Distance

**Author's Note:**

> This one is has some reused concepts shown in "Just Want to See you Smile" and "Therapy Bird" but aren't necessarily connected

Qrow stuffed his hands in his pockets, following James down the hallway, eyeing yet another troop of heavily armed soldiers as they walked by. Atlas really was on high alert these days. He looked towards the general, seeing how tense he seemed to be as he walked tall among his subordinates. Normally, he’d poke fun at him about it; irritating Jimmy was one of his favorite past times after all.

But it was an important day and he didn’t want to risk souring the other’s generosity just because he felt a little out of place.

“Here it is.” James announced, punching in the access code into the keypad. There was a ding and the door slid open.

As they stepped inside, Qrow peered around the room. The space was small and square, with desks pushed against the walls that were laden with ancient looking computer equipment. There were also several rectangular boxes with blinking lights that he couldn’t even begin to guess at their function. “And you sure this’ll work?”

“I’ve been using it myself to keep in contact. As long as he’s there, you’ll get through.”  He looked at him, frowning sternly, “But I can only afford you a few minutes. And you can’t-”

He placed a hand on the general’s shoulder before he could prattle on about all his ‘stipulations’ again. Most of it went over his head anyways, especially the stuff on how improper decoding made for easier line tapping. All he really got was this was a risk and whatever he said had to be brief and non-incriminating. “I got it Jimmy. I promise I’ll play by your rules – just this once.” He grinned cheekily.

He studied him skeptically, finally sighing. “Alright.”

Qrow watched as James took a seat at the console, turning on the box-shaped monitor. The machine started to whir as it booted up, the screen turning from black to a deep blue. He pulled up a program on it that started running rapid lines of text. A few switches were flipped on another device next to it and he adjusted a little stand microphone, buzzing soon being heard. A few more keystrokes and a dialing started to emit from the speakers.

He lent against the desk beside the other, rather impressed. It really was ringing!

A click and then a voice spoke through: “General?”

“Hello Iseria. I apologize for calling so suddenly. I didn’t interrupt anything did I?”

“Not at all! Is something wrong?” Though it’d been years, Qrow could still detect that singsong quality in his old boss’ voice. It was the only hint the world had to know the headmaster of Signal was actually a canary Faunus.

“Everything’s as fine as they can be. Actually, this is more of a,” James glanced towards him, “Social call.”

Taking that as his cue, Qrow cut in, “Hey Izzy!”

There was a long pause, then Iseria shrilled, “Qrow?! Is that you?”

“The one and only.” He took the seat as James vacated it, nodding in understanding when the other tapped at his wrist as if a watch were there counting down the minutes. “And as much as I would like to catch up, I don’t have a lot of time. I was, uh, hoping you could get Tai?”

“Oh.” She said, all too knowingly, “It’s _that_ kind of social call.”

He flushed a bit. “No! I mean, sort of but – I just, wanted to check up on him and-”

Iseria’s laughter interrupted him. “Yes, I’ll call him in.”

There was a bit of rattling and some feedback from the intercom system, the headmaster’s voice echoing across campus. He’d timed it to make sure it was lunch time, so Tai didn’t have to worry about leaving his class. He only had to hope he hadn’t left school grounds for some reason. As they waited, Qrow chatted it up with his former employer, simple things like how classes were going or if there were any promising students this year. But, he wasn’t really paying all that much attention to what was being said, just let her drone on while he tapped his foot along the floor.

“So, we started to tell the students that they couldn’t – oh! Tai, there you are.”

He sat up attentively, a smile spreading the moment he heard Tai speak. “Oh uh, sorry. Should I-?”

“No, no! Come in. The call’s for you.” Iseria insisted, her voice growing faint and he could only guess she had stood up.

“Oh um, okay?” He sounded so confused, he had to wonder what the set up on their side looked like. There was a bit of shuffling as they traded spots, and then Tai’s voice was coming through crystal clear, “Hello?”

Qrow could have melted. “Hey sunshine.”

Tai sucked in a sharp breath. “Qrow?! How in the world-? Wait, are you in Atlas?”

“Yeah. I managed to get that stick out of Jimmy’s ass long enough that he actually considered doing me a favor.” He grinned when that one actually earned him a chuckle.  

From the other side of the room, James grunted, looking mildly insulted. “Five minutes Qrow.”

“Got it.” He replied, shifting the chair a little closer to the desk.  

“Only five, huh?” Tai echoed softly.

“Yeah, guess this thing uses up a lot of power. And,” He hesitantly added, “I probably won’t be able to call again.”

There was a resigned sigh. He could almost picture Tai’s sad smile. “Well then. We’d better not waste it. How are you doing? How are the girls doing?”

“Just fine.” He said, though it felt like a bit of a lie. There was so much he needed to tell him… but not here. Not like this. “Met up with the pipsqueak and her ragtag friends halfway through Mistral. You shoulda seen her. She’s really getting good maneuvering with her semblance now. And when she’s leading her team, she’s-” He trailed off, folding his hands over the desk, idly fiddling with one of his rings.

“Like a carbon copy of Summer?” Tai filled in. “Yeah. I saw that too, especially during the tournament.”

“It kinda freaks me out.” Qrow admitted.

He chuckled. “And Yang?”

“Found us after we got to Mistral. Actually, the ice princess and faunus gal did too. Oh!” He lent forward, smirking, “You were totally right about cat girl by the way. Yang’s _so_ into her.”

Now Tai was full on laughing. “I told you! Dad’s intuition. They getting along well?”

“Yes, professor. They’re playing nice.” Qrow teased, before tacking on more seriously, “They got some issues still, but they’ll work it out.”

“Good. And… What about Raven? Did Yang find her too?”

He sighed. He was waiting for that one. “Ooooh yeah.”

“Didn’t go well?”

“Not even a little bit.”

Tai huffed, unable to hide his slight irritation. “How she holding up?”

“Eh, honestly? Better than expected.” In fact, had she not literally walked out of one of her portals, he may not have guessed Yang had ever even had a run in with his sister at all. “She’s got your strength, that’s for sure.”

“Mmm, I think she’s got something stronger than that.” He argued fondly. “And, you? You handling that okay?”

If he had more time, he may have tried to find a way out of answering that. He could still remember that evening, just a few days after Beacon’s fall when he admitted to Tai what he’d told Yang shortly after her disqualification – about where she could go looking if she really wanted to find Raven. The fight that resulted because Tai knew why he’d _really_ done it. His partner had been so furious, he stopped talking to him for the next two days entirely – had Ruby not awakened when she had, who knew how long he could have kept it up.

“I just, I thought she’d… I dunno.” Qrow struggled, unsure how to put his feelings into words. All this time he’d tried to solve Raven like a lock that was missing the right key – if it wasn’t him, or Tai, or Summer then surely Yang had to be it. To find out it wasn’t was more a blow than he cared to admit. “I just wanted her to come back.”

“I know you did. And I’m sorry she didn’t.”

He knew Tai well enough to recognize when he was being completely sincere. His eyes flickered towards the blue screen, wishing he could see his face. He could really use one of his softhearted little smiles right about now. “You forgiving me that easy?”

“Oh no, I still want to kick your head in.” He said, chipper as ever. “But, I get it too. She was practically all you had for years; that’s not a bond easy to forget. I’m sorry if my anger made you feel like I was insulting that.”

Warmth beat in his breast. How did Tai always do that? Sometimes he wondered if he pre-wrote all the sappy lines he would say, because he always seemed to know just what he needed to hear at any given moment. Conversely, Qrow was never quite as eloquent in return – if he could find the words at all.

“H-Hey, shouldn’t I be the one apologizing here?” Qrow chortled nervously. “Which I am. Sorry. For – I’m just sorry, okay?”

“Okay.” He repeated, mostly amused at his awful attempt.

He cleared his throat, glancing towards James. The man rose two fingers. He nodded, exhaling slowly, “Hey, Tai? I’ve only got a bit left here so… there’s something I really need to tell you.”

“Uh-oh, that sounds ominous.”

“Hey now! It’s not bad!”

Tai hummed doubtfully. “I dunno, usually when you start off like that, it’s to tell me you broke something.”

“Well-!” Damn, he was right. “It’s not like that this time.”

“Alright then, what is it?”

He took another deep breath, smiled at the screen, and said, “Happy birthday.”

In his surprise, Tai stumbled over his words, “You-You remembered?”

“Of course.” Qrow reassured, “How could I ever forget about you?”

Even with his bandit days far behind him, he was still pretty awful at remembering precise calendar dates. So, for what it was worth, Tai didn’t immediately list off every example of him doing exactly that.

What he said instead was worlds better:

“I love you.”

The same feeling seemed to fill every inch of him until it was spilling off his lips, “I love you too. And I miss you like crazy.” That was when he realized he’d gotten so caught up, he hadn’t even asked how Tai was doing. “Are you holding up well?”

“It’s… really lonely without you guys at home. And since I can’t call and check in, I’m just worrying all the time.” He admitted, unable to keep the melancholy from his tone. “But, I can’t tell you how much this call helps. Just hearing your voice and knowing you and the girls are safe… heh, it’s the perfect birthday gift.”

Qrow placed his chin in his hand, unable to stop smiling. “Oh, it’s that easy? Then next August, I’ll plan a month-long trip to Vacuo with the girls’. We’ll send you postcards.”

“Don’t you _dare_.”

He laughed at the way the other hissed that; sometimes he could really sound like the little dragon he was named for. His gaze flicked up as James walked over.  Five minutes had never seemed so short. “Looks like my time’s up. We’ll be home soon. I’m not too sure exactly when right now, but – soon.”

“I’ll be waiting.” He could hear the mirror of Tai’s own smile in his voice. “Be safe and watch after our girls.”

“Always do.” Qrow promised, leaning back. “See you; love you.”

“Love you too; and thank you, for everything.”

“Yeah. Bye Tai.” It felt like the hardest thing he’d ever had to do, giving Jimmy the nod to disconnect them.

“Bye.” Was the last thing he heard before the speakers were nothing but static. He stomped down on the loneliness that immediately crept into his heart, knowing it had to be ten times worse for his partner.

“I’m sorry it couldn’t be longer.” It was odd, hearing the normally stoic and firm general be so gentle.

Qrow shook his head, getting up from the chair. “Nah, you did plenty. I really appreciate it.”

He waited for James to shut down his equipment before following him out the door and back out of the high security facility. They mostly walked in silence, leaving himself with thoughts that swarmed him with all the things still left unsaid. All the troubles weighing him down and all the unearthed lies that had shaken his trust. He wished he could just go back to that room and be on that call the rest of forever, where it felt like those problems could be left behind.

And it was in that thought that he realized something in himself he’d never really perceived before: How he’d been on a path of self-redemption for so long, he had missed something important along the way.

It was hard to deny how good it felt to be a huntsman; to go out into the world and earn the praise of those he saved. To obtain that elite status he’d worked so hard for that made him both revered and feared. To be apart of something he once thought so large and important that even if he died doing his mission, he was paving a way for a better future.

Those things, those feelings, they were so large that they quickly overshadowed the simpler life with Tai he rarely slowed down long enough to enjoy. Waking up to the smell of coffee in the morning and eating toast with jam spread into sappy heart patterns. Picnics in the park or walks through the forest under a warm afternoon sun. An evening of late-night programs and movie marathons. Nights spent wrapped up in one another.

The more he debated it over in his head, the more he moved towards a conclusion that he’d never once considered in his entire life, never thought he ever _could_ consider. But yet here he was, not only considering it, but determined to make it a reality.

After all, his own birthday was coming up soon too - and there was only one gift he could think of that he wanted. Now, he just needed to figure out how to tell Tai. Maybe the girls would have some ideas.

After all, retiring at forty-three was certainly something to celebrate.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt used was 66: “How could I ever forget about you?”


End file.
